


To Be Loved

by yeska_noka



Category: 7 MEN 侍 | 7 MEN Samurai (Band), Johnny's Entertainment, Johnny's Jr.
Genre: Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:40:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29008443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeska_noka/pseuds/yeska_noka
Summary: Hugs from Reia make life a little more bearable.
Kudos: 5





	To Be Loved

When Reia arrives at the Imperial Theatre for work, it’s immediately obvious that something is wrong. He passes Yabana chatting quietly to some of the other cast and two crew members in a stairwell, and although Yabana offers only a nod in greeting so as not to interrupt the conversation, the look he gives Reia is significant. Reia nods in return and frowns. 

He can hear Konno’s voice drifting from Bishounen’s dressing room, which he wouldn’t think too much of, but then he finds Taiko sitting in the hallway doing whatever on his phone. Taiko offers him the same nod and look that Yabana had, expectation and resignation mixed together, and Reia sighs. 

He’s not at all surprised to find Katsuki alone in their dressing room, sitting on the couch and staring off into space. He offers a vague noise of acknowledgement in response to Reia’s greeting, but otherwise doesn’t move or even look at him. Reia sighs again. He pulls off his shoes in the entryway and dumps his bag on the counter, and then goes to sit next to Katsuki on the couch. 

Reia wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls Katsuki into his side, and Katsuki immediately drops his head onto Reia’s shoulder. 

“You wanna talk about it?” Reia asks him softly, and he can feel the shake of Katsuki’s head where he rests against him. After a moment, Katsuki twists to wrap his arms around Reia’s waist and presses his face into the crook of his neck instead. Reia just brings his other arm up around his shoulders to hold him close. 

He hates to see Katsuki like this. He works so hard, dedicated to both his life in Johnnys and to his schoolwork, and Reia knows it’s overwhelming and exhausting at times. He can’t imagine doing what Katsuki does, but when it gets to be too much, Katsuki just blames himself and says he isn’t strong enough. 

It’s selfish, Reia knows, but he doesn’t want Katsuki to go to grad school. It means more time away from them, and more time away from Reia. It means more time that Katsuki will spend glued to his computer even when they’re together, reading, writing, researching, instead of paying attention to Reia. And Reia feels terrible about it, because it’s what Katsuki wants and Reia wants to support him. He wants to protect him from the stress and the frustration and everything else that goes along with the workload Katsuki piles onto himself. 

Sometimes Katsuki will talk to Reia, when he’s frustrated with work or feels like he’s disappointed his professors. When he’s entirely ready to lose it, sometimes he’ll even talk about his schoolwork, even though they both know Reia doesn’t understand half of anything he says. But mostly, like now, he just goes still and quiet, withdrawn. 

It hurts Reia’s heart. Katsuki is so smart, and so cute, and so funny. But he’s so, so stupid about the way he treats himself. Reia wishes he could understand how special he is, wishes he could show him. But all he can do is be there for him. 

Sitting twisted on the couch is uncomfortable after a few minutes, and Reia pulls Katsuki up and over to the big air mattress in the corner instead. Usually Reia curls up there for naps, but this time he stretches out on his side to make room, and tugs Katsuki down into his arms. Katsuki leans into him, his face pressed into Reia’s chest, and every breath passes warm through Reia’s t-shirt, heating the skin over his heart. But his heart is warm for other reasons. 

As guilty as he feels about it, and as much as it pains him when Katsuki is hurting, Reia loves the fact that he’s the one Katsuki comes to. He’s the only one Katsuki lets in, and the only one who gets to hold him close. Reia lifts a hand to stroke through Katsuki’s hair, and he can feel Katsuki relax into him just a little bit more. He tucks Katsuki’s head under his chin and keeps petting him as the tension slowly, slowly leaves him. His hair smells just like Reia’s - just like all of them right now, since they’re sharing the same shampoo in the theater shower - but underneath that, there’s just something essentially _Katsuki_ about him, and Reia inhales a little deeper, just enjoying the closeness and the scent of him. 

Eventually the other members drift back in, shuffling quietly around the room and talking softly among themselves. No one comments on the two of them, but occasionally someone will glance over and make eye contact with Reia over Katsuki’s head. They’ll give him a small nod or smile, and Reia just blinks back at them, not wanting to disturb Katsuki even though he knows he’s not asleep. 

They can only stay like this for so long, though. At some point, Yabana gently gives them a heads up about time. He knows exactly how long Reia needs to do his hair and make up. Reia hums in acknowledgment, but doesn’t move just yet. He doesn’t want to let go of Katsuki, and who needs perfect hair, anyway.

But after another minute, Katsuki leans his head back just enough to look up at him. 

“Don’t you need to get ready?” he asks softly, and it’s the first thing Reia’s heard him say since he arrived. It makes Reia feel warm all over again that despite the fact that Reia’s the one comforting him right now, he still cares just as much about Reia. 

“In a minute,” Reia tells him, and he tucks Katsuki’s head back into his chest so that he can lean down and press a kiss to the top of his head. He can almost feel Katsuki’s smile as he throws an arm around Reia’s waist and cuddles in closer, and for a moment, Reia highly considers giving up on his hair and makeup entirely. 

When they finally sit up, Katsuki’s smile is very small, but it reaches his eyes, and Reia knows he’s okay. 

“Thanks,” he says wryly, and Reia shakes his head. He would give the world to Katsuki if he could, but he can’t, and so for now, small things like this will have to do. 

Reia will never tell Katsuki just how much he loves him. But when Katsuki leans over and presses a soft kiss to Reia’s cheek, Reia thinks that maybe, just maybe, Katsuki knows.


End file.
